Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
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adj
comparative form of flat: more flat
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: comparative, form-of
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A type of set tool used by blacksmiths.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ambitransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A flat-faced fulling hammer.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ambitransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A drawplate with a narrow, rectangular orifice, for drawing flat strips such as watch springs.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ambitransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Someone who flattens, purposely or accidentally. Also flattener.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ambitransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Someone who lives in a rented flat.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: New-Zealand, UK, ambitransitive, slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To compliment someone, often (but not necessarily) insincerely and sometimes to win favour.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ambitransitive
Synonyms: butter up, lay it on thick, puff
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To enhance or gratify someone's vanity by praising them.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ambitransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: stroke someone's ego
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To portray someone to advantage.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ambitransitive
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To encourage or cheer someone with (usually false) hope.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ambitransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To cheer or please (with the idea that); congratulate oneself, especially when the perception is false.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ambitransitive, reflexive, usually
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To cheer or please (with the idea that); congratulate oneself, especially when the perception is false.
In phrasal verb "to flatter with": to encourage, inspire with hope.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ambitransitive, intransitive, obsolete, reflexive, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
praise somewhat dishonestly
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: blandish
Antonyms: disparage
Broader terms: praise
Narrower terms: soft-soap, adulate, stroke, fawn, toady, truckle, bootlick, kowtow, kotow, suck up, butter up, brown-nose
History
From flat + -er (comparative suffix). Compare Icelandic flatari (“flatter, more flat”).
Etymology tree English flat Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -āriusnom. Latin -āriusbor. Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz Proto-West Germanic *-ārī Old English -ere Middle English -ere English -er English flatter From flat (“to make flat, flatten”) + -er (agent suffix).
From flat (“dwelling, apartment”) + -er (residency suffix).
*From Middle English flatteren, flateren (“to flutter, float, fawn over”), probably a conflation of Old English floterian, flotorian (“to flutter, float, be disquieted”), from Proto-West Germanic *flotrōn, from Proto-Germanic *flutrōną (“to be floating”), from Proto-Indo-European *plewd- (“to flow, swim”), equivalent to float + -er; and Old Norse flaðra (“to fawn on someone, flatter”), from Proto-Germanic *flaþrōną (“to fawn over, flutter”), from Proto-Indo-European *peled- (“moisture, wetness”), *pel- (“to gush, pour out, fill, flow, swim, fly”). Cognate with Scots flatter, flotter (“to float; splash; cover with liquid”), Middle Dutch flatteren (“to embellish, flatter, caress”), German flattern (“to flutter”). *The word was also falsely associated with Middle French flatter (“to flatter, to caress with the flat of the hand”), from Old French flater (“to deceive by concealing the truth, to stroke with the palm of the hand”), from Frankish *flat (“palm, flat of the hand”), from Proto-Germanic *flatą, *flatō (“palm, sole”), from *flataz (“flat”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *pleth2-, *pleh2- (“flat, broad, plain”); related to Old High German flazza (“palm, flat of the hand”), Old High German flaȥ (“level, flat”), Old Saxon flat (“flat”), Old Norse flatr (“flat”) (whence English flat), Old Frisian flet, flette (“dwelling, house”), Old English flet, flett (“ground floor, dwelling”). More at flat.
Across languages
127 source translations are retained for this English entry.
